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Families struggling to pay for rising rents

The Hunter's tight rental market has revealed housing rents are moving beyond the reach of the average single-income family.

Clarissa Thorpe: ABC News

A snapshot of the Hunter's tight rental market has revealed housing rents are moving beyond the reach of the average single-income family.

Samaritans CEO says Cec Shevels says over one weekend the organisation studied all available rental properties in the region and the results were alarming.

Mr Shevels says in most areas rents are now so high that two incomes are needed to make ends meet.

"If you've got one income on an average wage, you might find somewhere where you have to struggle, but if you have no job and you're on a pension or a benefit, virtually there's nothing you can afford," he said.

"That's why we have homelessness.

"There's just not enough cheaper accommodation.

"We keep saying this don't we but the Government doesn't adapt its policies to generate enough housing so that we've all got somewhere to live."